Ballast tamping machine



Aug. 18. c. JACKSON BALLAST TAMPING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 13, 1954 IN VEN TOR.

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. Aug. 18, 1959 c. JACKSON BALLAST TAMPING MACHINE 4 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Jan. 13, 1954 INVENTORQ Coma/W doc/won ATTORNEY.

Aug. 18, 1959- c. JACKSON BALLAST TAMPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 13, 1954.

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Aug. 18, 1959 c. JACKSON BALLAST TAMPING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. 6'0/"40/7/ Mac/r601? Filed Jan. 13, 1954 4TTORNEY.

United States I PatentO BALLAST TAMPING MACHINE Corwill Jackson, Ludington, Mich., assignor to Jackson Vibrators, Inc., Ludington, Mich.

Application January 13, 1954, Serial No. 403,793 7 Claims. (Cl. 10412) This invention relates to improvements in ballast tamping machine. The present invention relates to a tie tamping or ballasting machine of the type illustrated in my Patent No. 2,482,111, dated September 20, 1949, and in some respects is an embodiment and adaptation of features thereof.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a tie tamping or ballast working machine in which a self-propelled railway car may be employed as the carriage.

. Second, to provide a machine of this class which is highly efiicient and adapted to meet varying ballast con, ditions which may exist in the portions of the ties under the rails.

'. Third, to provide a machine of the class described which comprises two crossheads mounted for individual manual control permitting both to be operated simultaneously or either one operative when the other is inoperative. .Fourth, to provide a machine of the class described comprising two main units in which the tamper unitsof acrosshead may be subjected to variable thrust when in .operation.

Fifth, to provide a machine of the class described in which the tamper units are independently mounted, permittingv them to automatically tiltably adjust themselves as they are advanced into the ballast.

Sixth, to provide means for normally supporting the units in upright position when in retracted position while permitting swinging movement thereof when in lowered or operative position, the balancing means being breakable when a tamper blade engages an obstruction while the carriage is moving forwardl Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined in the claims.

-A machine which embodies the features of the invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a machine embodying the invention with the crossheads thereof in retracted position, the carriage anchoring bar being shown in rail engaging position. The machine is illustrated in operative relation to a tie and rails of a railway track and ballast which is conventionally illustrated, various details of the carriage being omitted for convenience in illustration.

Fig. 2 is. a fragmentary side elevational view.

. .Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view with one of the crossheads in lowered position showing the vibratory units in operative relation to the ballast being tamped.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing further details.

' Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section on a line corresponding to broken line 5-5 of Fig. 1 with the parts in tamping position.

6 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially in section on a line corresponding to line 6-6 of Fig. 7.

2,899,909 Patented Aug. 18, 1959 Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view looking from the left of Fig. 6. a

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view showing further details of the mounting of the vibratory units.

In the accompanying drawing 1 represents ballast, 2 a tie and 3, 3 the rails of a railway track. The carriage designated generally by the numeral 4 is desirably a selfpropelled railway car provided with track engaging wheels 5 and transversely disposed wheels 6 adapted to facilitate the placing of the carriage upon or removing it from the railway track. The driving means for the carriage are not illustrated. At its front end the carriage is provided with pairs of upright ways 7 on which the crosshead carrying slides 8 are mounted for vertical movement. In the embodiment illustrated the ways are cylindrical and the slides are provided with opposed pairs of way engaging rollers 9.

These slides are provided with downwardly and forwardly projecting arms 10 to which the crossheads 11 are fixedly secured, the crossheads being provided with brackets 12 to which the flanges 13 on the lower ends of the arms are secured as by the bolts 14. Each crosshead is provided with a pair of cross arms 15 disposed in longitudinally spaced relation thereon and secured thereto by clamps comprising the clamp member 16 on the cross arms and coacting clamps 17, the clamping members being secured togetherby the bolts 18. The crossheads are raised and lowered by means of hydraulic rams 19, the cylinder members of whichv are mounted on the carriage.

The plunger members 20 are provided with a cross bar 21 connected by the rods 22 to the cross rod 23 connecting the slides. The upright ways are connected at their upper ends by the beam 24 and are braced by the braces 25 connected at 26 to the deck of the carriage and at 27 to the beam 24.

To limit the down movement of the crossheads the movable member of the rams is provided with a rearwardly projecting arm 28 slidably engaging the upright 29 which is provided with a vertical series of holes 30 in which the stop 31 may be selectivelyengaged. A bumper 32 is provided at the bottom of the series of holes. The rams are of the reversely acting type, that is, they are adapted to not only lift the crossheads to inoperative position but to lower them and apply downward thrust thereto. The connections for the rams are indicated at 33. The pressure pump for the fluid is not illustrated; the valve mechanism is generally illustrated at 34 and a valve control lever 35 is provided for each ram so that the crossheads are independently controlled to raise and lower them, permitting both to be adjusted to Working position or either one as desired, and permitting variable thrust to be applied to the crossheads.

To facilitate the removal of the machine from a track means are provided for derailing the machine so that rails or members can be inserted under the wheels 6, only one of which is illustrated in the drawing. This means, in the embodiment illustrated, comprises the rail engaging bar 36 disposed transversely of the carriage and connected to the movable members 37 of the rams 38. Springs 39 are provided to lift the bar 36 when the thrust on the ram member 37 is removed. The bar 36 is shown actuated to engage the rails in Figs. 1 and 2 and raised therefrom in Fig. 3. This bar may be used to anchor the carriage in operative relation to a tie although at least a pair of the carriage wheels 5 are provided with brakes, not illustrated, the brake lever however, being shown at 40. The connections to the rams 38 are indicated at 41.

The crosshead structure described is particularly designed and adapted for the tamper units which will now be described. These units which are designated generally by the numeral 42 are arranged in opposed pairs, each crosshead being provided with two pairs positioned to coact with the ballast at the sides of the rails. As these vibratory'tamping units are the sameex'ce'pt as to the positioning with the blades of the opposed pairs in facing relation, the description of one unit will suffice.

The vibratory unit comprises a base or bed member 43 desirably acasting of considerable weight, at least it should be rigid. The base member is provided with a downwardly. projecting bracket 44 to which the blade attaching plate 45 is fixedly secured, desirably by welding as is indicated at '46 in Fig. 4. The blades 47 are desirably of flat stock of substantial width. The lower ends .48 of the blades are angled or directed inwardly so as to project'below a tie, as indicated in Fig. 5, when the unit is in one of its lowered positions. The end edges of theblades are preferably notched at 49 and the tip a of the inner blade projects below the tip of the outer.

A vibratory motor 50 is mounted on the base member 43 with its rotor 51 extending longitudinally of the base 'or in the plane approximately parallel to the path of travel of the, carriage. The rotor is provided with unbalancing weights 52, the motor when operating produc- '1 the invention as may be desired.

ing high frequency vibrations preferably of the order of approximately 5,000 cycles per minute. The vibratory units are supported for independent tilting movement when they are in operative relation to the work, both longitudinally and laterally.

The hangers 53 are pivotally connected at 54 to the laterally projecting arms 55 on the hanger bars 56 which are in turn pivoted at 57 to the crosshead arms 15 adjacent the ends thereof. The hanger bars 56 are thus supported to swing in vertical planes parallel to the path of travel of the carriage. The hangers 53 are pivotally supported to swing transversely of the path of travel of the carriage and the vibratory units are thus supported for tilting movement or swinging movement both transversely of the path of travel and also in the direction of the path of travel of the carriage. The hangers 53 are connected to the base members through the flexible vibration absorbing hanger straps 58. These hanger straps are looped around the studs 59 projecting from the brackets 60 and 61 on the base member. The brackets 61 are adjustably mounted on the bolts 62 for tensioning the straps 58 by means of the screws 63 threaded into the supports 64 provided therefor on the base and having thrust collars 65 engaging pins 66 on the brackets 61. The straps 58 are clamped to the lower ends of the hangers 53 by means of the clamping plates 531 and 532 and the bolts 533. The clamping plates 532 serve as thrust plates for imparting downward thrust on the vibratory unit when the crosshead is lowered to the work.

The hydraulic means described not only permits the raising and lowering of the vibratory units from and to the work but also permits the application of variable nected to the base members and to the bars 71.n1ounted on the crossheads by means of the clamps 72. With the parts thus arranged thevibratory units are mounted to permit free vibration thereof and the other parts of the machine are well protected from the vibrations.

While the carriage is self-propelled, it is sometimes desirable to manipulate it by hand to properly position the tamper blades relative to a tie. To this end the post 73 is provided with a hand wheel 74, the post being connected to a transmission 75 which is in turn connected to a pair of driving wheels. These connections are not illustrated as they form no part of the present invention. The vibratory units are suspended for free swinging movement so that the tamping blades may automatically swing towards ties being tamped and simultaneously swing toward the rail. This is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5. The embodiment of the invention illustrated is highly eificient; the crossheads may be independently manipulated to meet varying conditions. When a single rail is being raised, a single crosshead is used. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations of the invention as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to practice Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a tie tamping or ballasting machine, the com,- bination of a carriage adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a pair of elongated crossheads disposed transversely of the path of travel of the carriage with one above each rail when the carriage is traveling on rails, cross arms fixedly mounted on said crossheads in transversely spaced relation to each other with one at each side of the rail on which the carriage is traveling and generally parallel thereto, a pair of transversely spaced upright ways for each crosshead mounted on said carriage, crosshead slides on said ways provided with forwardly and downwardly projecting arms on which said crossheads are fixedly mounted, means mounted on said carriage operatively connected to said crosshead slides for independently raising and lowering the crossheads and applying downward thrust thereto, opposed pairs of vibratory tamping units mounted on each of said cross arms of said crossheads, each tamping unit comprising a base member, a motor supportedly mounted on said base member and having an unbalanced rotor having its axis disposed longitudinally relative to the path of travel of the carriage, blades fixedly mounted on said base members for vibration therewith, hanger bars pivotally mounted on said cross arms of said crosshead for vertical swinging movement in planes parallel to the path of travel of the carriage, and hangers pivotally mounted 1 on opposite sides of the pivots of said hanger bars for thrust as may be desired. The motors 50 are electric V motors, circuit connections or cables therefor being indicated at 150. These connections are secured to the crosshead arms to prevent their becoming entangled with other-parts and to the terminals carried by the bus bars 67 carried by the crossheads. Neither the generator nor the connections from the generator are illustrated. The generator is desirably mounted on the carriage but may be a separate unit.

To maintain the vibratory units in the upright position when the crossheads are retracted as shown in Fig. l, balancing hanger straps 68 are provided which are supportingly connected to brackets 69 on the crosshead (see Fig. 5) and to the hanger bars 56. In the event the blades should contact an obstruction, such as a tie, when the carriage is being advanced, the corresponding straps 68 will break, the strap thus serving'as a safety link.

To limitthe outward swing of the tamper units a sway strap 70'is provided for each unit. The straps areconswinging movement transversely of the path of travel of the carriage, said base members having a vibration absorbing connection to said hangers.

2. In a tie tamping or ballasting machine, the combination of a carriage adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a pair of elongated crossheads disposed transversely of the path of travel of the carriage with one above each rail when the carriage is traveling on rails and mounted on said carriage for independent adjustment in a vertical plane, cross arms fixedly mounted on said crossheads in transversely spaced relation to each other with one at each side of the rail on which the carriage is traveling and generally parallel thereto, means mounted on said carriage operatively connected to "said crossheads for independently raising and lowering to and from work position and applying downward thrust thereto when in work position, vibratory tamping units mounted on said cross arms of said crossheads, each tamping unit comprising a base member, means supportedly mounted on said base member for imparting high frequency vibrations thereto, tamping blades fixedly mounted on said base members for vibration therewith, hanger bars pivotally mounted on said cross arms of said crosshead for vertical swinging movement in planes substantially parallel to the path of travel of the carriage, and hangers pivotally mounted on said hanger bars in spaced relation to the pivots thereof for swinging movement transversely of the path of travel of the carriage and having supporting vibration absorbing connections to said base members.

3. In a tie tamping or ballasting machine, the combination of a carriage adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, of a crosshead disposed above and transversely of a rail on which the carriage is traveling, cross arms fixedly mounted on said crosshead in transversely spaced relation to each other and generally parallel to a rail on which the carriage is traveling, an upright way for said crosshead mounted on said carriage, a crosshead slide on said way provided with forwardly and downwardly projecting arms on which said crosshead is fixedly mounted, means on said carriage operatively connected to said crosshead for lowering it to and raising it from work position and applying variable downward thrust thereto, opposed pairs of vibratory tamping units mounted on said cross arms of said crosshead, each tamping unit comprising a base member, means for vibrating said base member at high frequency comprising a motor supportedly mounted on said base member and having an unbalanced rotor having its axis disposed longitudinally relative to the path of travel of the carriage, pairs of tamping blades fixedly mounted on said base members for vibration therewith one at each side of and in substantially spaced relation to the vertical plane of the axis of the rotor, hanger bars pivotally mounted on said cross arms of said crosshead for vertical swinging movement in planes parallel to the path of travel of the carriage, and hangers pivotally mounted on said hanger bars in spaced relation to the pivots thereof for swinging movement transversely of the path of travel of the carriage and having vibration absorbing connections to said base members.

4. In a tie tamping or ballasting machine, the combination of a carriage adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a crosshead mounted on said carriage above at least one of the rails on which the carriage is traveling, cross arms fixedly mounted on said crosshead in transversely spaced relation to each other and generally parallel to a rail on which the carriage is traveling, means on said carriage operatively connected to said crosshead for raising and lowering the crosshead to and from work position, vibratory tamping units mounted on said cross arms of said crosshead in opposed pairs, each tamping unit comprising a base member, means supportedly mounted on said base member for imparting high frequency vibrations thereto, tamping blades fixedly mounted on said base members for vibration therewith, hanger bars pivotally mounted on said cross arms of said crosshead for vertical swinging movement in planes substantially parallel to the path of travel of the carriage, and hangers pivotally mounted on said hanger bars in laterally spaced relation to each other and to the pivots of said hanger bars for swinging movement transversely of the path of travel of the carriage and having vibration absorbing connections to said base members.

5. In a tie tamping or ballasting machine, the combination of a carriage adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a crosshead mounted on said carriage above a rail on which the carriage is traveling, means on said carriage for raising and lowering said crosshead to and from work position, opposed pairs of vibratory tamping units, said pairs. of units being disposed one at each side of the rail below said crosshead, each of said tamping units comprising a base member, a rotor mounted on said base member with its axis disposed longitudinally relative to the rail on which the carriage is traveling and provided with longitudinally spaced unbalancing weights, pairs of blades mounted on said base member one at each side of the vertical plane of the axis of the rotor and centrally relative to the unbalancing weights thereof, pairs of hanger supporting bars supportedly and the carriage, and laterally spaced hangers pivotally mounted on said bars in laterally spaced relation to the pivots thereof and having vibration absorbing connection to said base members.

6. In a tie tamping or ballasting machine, the combination with a carriage adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, a crosshead mounted on said carriage above and transversely of and for vertical adjustment relative to a rail on which the carriage is traveling, means on said carriage for raising and lowering said crosshead to and from work position and applying variable down thrust thereto when the crosshead is in work position, opposed pairs of vibratory tamping units, said pairs being spaced to receive a rail between them, each of said tamping units comprising a base member, means for vibrating said base member at high frequency supportedly mounted thereon, tamping blades mounted on said tamping unit base members, pairs of hanger supporting bars supportedly and pivotally connected to said crosshead for vertical swinging movement in planes parallel to the path of travel of the carriage, and hangers pivotally mounted on said hanger supporting bars in spaced relation to the pivots thereof for swinging movement transversely of the path of travel of the carriage and having vibration absorbing connections to said base members.

7. In a tie tamping or ballasting machine, the combination with a carriage adapted to travel on the rails of a railway track, of a crosshead mounted on said carriage above and transversely of and for vertical adjustment relative to a rail on which the carriage is traveling and provided with cross arms spaced longitudinally of the crosshead one at each side of the rail on which the carriage is traveling, means on said carriage for raising and lowering said crosshead and applying variable down thrust thereto, vibratory tamping units spaced to receive a rail between them and each comprising a base member, a rotor mounted on said base member with its axis disposed longitudinally relative to the path of travel of the carriage and provided with longitudinally spaced unbalancing weights, pairs of blades fixedly mounted on said base members one at each side of the vertical plane of the axis of the rotor and centrally between the unbalancing weights thereof, pairs of hanger supporting bars pivotally mounted on said cross arms for vertical swinging movement in vertical planes substantially parallel to the path of travel of the carriage, and hangers pivotally mounted on said hanger supporting bars in laterally spaced relation to their pivots for swinging movement transversely of the path of travel of the carriage and having vibration absorbing connections to said base members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,713,340 Jackson May 14, 1929 1,715,131 Jackson May 28, 1929 1,741,240 Jackson Dec. 31, 1929 1,865,179 Egli June 28, 1932 1,980,704 Scheuchzer Nov. 13, 1934 2,137,842 Jackson Nov. 22, 1938 2,155,713 Jargick Apr. 25, 1939 2,203,018 Jackson June 4, 1940 2,239,785 Jackson Apr. 29, 1941 2,461,058 Huston Feb. 8, 1949 2,482,111 Jackson Sept. 20, 1949 2,734,463 Hursh et al. Feb. 14, 1956 2,765,148 Prince Oct. 2, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,088,088 France Mar. 2, 1955 

